Our First Family Disney Trip… Take Two! - May 2024 PTR (Update 4/23 - MK Must-Dos)

[SimplyGoofy]

Oh, I hate to hear that! We had the best boat captain, he did trivia and told jokes. It was really a fun experience. So maybe you will get it on a different occasion.

I love getting fun transportation people! My favorite was a bus driver we had from Port Orleans to MK - we (and the bus) were running late and I was QUITE grumpy. The bus driver was AMAZING and joked the entire way. I also learned they have messages the driver can play for celebrations (happy birthday, happy anniversary, etc.) - who knew they had all those fun messages?! Needless to say, I was much happier when we arrived at MK.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Magic Bands and Mickey Mail
a.k.a. A Day of Double Magic

First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who provided feedback on my room request and after-hours dilemmas. If anyone else has suggestions or words of wisdom, I’ll take them!

Yesterday was a super fun day - we received not one, but two pieces of mail from Disney World!

First (and most importantly), we received our Magic Bands:

​

I know Magic Bands are no longer required, but I really grew to love them during my last two trips as they were very convenient. Also, my older daughter is VERY excited to turn Mickey green herself.

I didn’t intend to order our bands so early, but I started checking and they had the perfect bands for us. They had a Tower of Terror band for me (my favorite attraction!), a super cute Mickey and friends band for L, and, best of all, a Sally Magic Band for M.

Despite her reluctance about Haunted Mansion (and refusal to join me on Tower of Terror), M LOVES the Nightmare Before Christmas. She loves it so much that it led to her Halloween costume this past year…

​

I mean, was there ever a more adorable Sally?

The minute I saw that Sally band I knew I needed to order them immediately. So I did!

Here’s a closer look at the band designs:

​

G didn’t have an opinion on designs, so I picked a plain green band (his favorite color) for him.

My only option for ordering was Magic Band+, which needs to be assigned to each person. It also mentions that you should pair each band with a smartphone.

Two band-pairing questions:

1. Can I link both girls to my smartphone? With that keep them from being able to enter a park or an attraction with their dad if I’m not there?
2. Does my husband need to create his own MDE account to pair his band with his smartphone? Or can he use my account to connect it to his phone? I have all our plans under my account and I hate to confuse Disney IT by having him in two places.

Along with the Magic Bands we also received our brochure from Disney World with important dates for our trip.

​

It came with some fun stickers/decals which won’t go to waste with our super-crafter in the house. I’m amazed M hasn’t wrestled them away from me already… that Sally band provided a great distraction!

In other cute news, I asked M what she’s most looking forward to at each park and resort. Here were her answers…

Magic Kingdom: It’s a Small World
Epcot: Remy
Hollywood Studios: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Animal Kingdom: Safari
Polynesian Resort: Breakfast with Lilo and Stitch
Beach Club Resort: Pool slide

What a fun array of answers! The least surprising was MMRR, as it’s one of her favorite rides to watch. I shouldn’t be surprised by Small World either, as that’s often a preschooler favorite. Remy surprised me as she doesn’t love to watch that attraction often, but she does love Ratatouille. I’m surprised Kilimanjaro Safaris beat out Flights of Passage, but I think she’ll love both (assuming she is tall enough for FoP!).

As for the resorts, the pool answer didn’t surprise me. As for the Poly, I better be on my game to nab that ADR for the ‘Ohana breakfast!

I’m glad she’s so excited. We have just 77 days to go!

Up Next: Countdown Update and Trip Trial Run

 

[vamassey1]

First (and most importantly), we received our Magic Bands:

I love Mickey Mail! Great Magic Band choices. Your daughters are going to love seeing them light up and feel them vibrate.

We got our bands last week for our trip in April. My friend got the Mickey and Friends band too. I almost got it but opted for the Tiana one.

She is the perfect Sally!

Two band-pairing questions:

I wish I could help you. I don't have any Magic Band plus linked to me except for mine. My daughter had hers and her son's linked. I'll try to ask her how it worked. I don't think he ever went into the park with her DH without her. I would think it doesn't matter as long as the bands are linked. I know IT can help you get your husband set up with his own MDE from your account or link what you have for him if he sets up his own MDE. They helped me do this for Danielle when she set herself up and for DH when he set one up, prior to that they were under me.

What a fun array of answers! The least surprising was MMRR, as it’s one of her favorite rides to watch. I shouldn’t be surprised by Small World either, as that’s often a preschooler favorite. Remy surprised me as she doesn’t love to watch that attraction often, but she does love Ratatouille. I’m surprised Kilimanjaro Safaris beat out Flights of Passage, but I think she’ll love both (assuming she is tall enough for FoP!).

I love her choices. You need record them and then ask her after the trip what her favorites were.

 

[jrmint427]

I know Magic Bands are no longer required, but I really grew to love them during my last two trips as they were very convenient.

I love the convenience too! We’re planning to use our bands from 2022, I just hope they work okay. It hasn’t been quite two years so I read that they should.

They had a Tower of Terror band for me (my favorite attraction!)

How cool! I would have picked that too.

I mean, was there ever a more adorable Sally?

So adorable!!

 

[pkondz]

Yesterday was a super fun day - we received not one, but two pieces of mail from Disney World!

Great costume!

I mean, was there ever a more adorable Sally?

Nope!

Magic Kingdom: It’s a Small World

 

[Monykalyn]

Cute Sally!
I was late in ordering our Magic bands so they’ll be at resort for us. We didn’t get any Mickey mail other than an email. Miss the days of the booklets with dates and info about resort-although I guess it’s all digital now. Was not even going to get new MB+ but our “newest” bands are from 2020! And they had an Orange Bird one-So I splurged.

Haven’t stayed at Poly; in 2015 we stayed Beach club (not dvc) -the resort was undergoing refurbishment so I think everyone wanted new rooms-we got a 3rd floor room overlooking the quiet pool, balcony and steps from “secret” door to Epcot (remember this was pre Skyliner). LOVED this location even hough it was “old” room at time. Anyway long winded way of saying we didn’t think that room was noisy at all. Even fireworks wasn’t bad as they were done by 930 usually.

Don’t sweat the ADRs! We leave tomorrow for Disney and there’s tons of ADRS on an ever changing basis for nearly everything, so hope you get all you want!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I love Mickey Mail! Great Magic Band choices. Your daughters are going to love seeing them light up and feel them vibrate.

We got our bands last week for our trip in April. My friend got the Mickey and Friends band too. I almost got it but opted for the Tiana one.

Thank you! I was surprised how many great options there were (nearly 40 choices!), including quite a few that are no longer available online at the Disney store. I didn’t intend to order one for my younger daughter (as she doesn’t really need one without a ticket), but for some reason it wouldn’t let me submit the order without adding a band for all four party members. In other words, I used our band pre-order “savings” to pay for our young toddler’s band. Seems about right for Disney!

She is the perfect Sally!

It was such a fun costume! She was so happy to be Sally (and still puts on the costume for fun).

I wish I could help you. I don't have any Magic Band plus linked to me except for mine. My daughter had hers and her son's linked. I'll try to ask her how it worked. I don't think he ever went into the park with her DH without her. I would think it doesn't matter as long as the bands are linked. I know IT can help you get your husband set up with his own MDE from your account or link what you have for him if he sets up his own MDE. They helped me do this for Danielle when she set herself up and for DH when he set one up, prior to that they were under me.

I appreciate your feedback about splitting our MDE accounts! I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle (especially since I don’t see my husband going to Disney without me, nor do I think he’ll need access to grab lightning lanes with me), but perhaps it would be a good idea anyway? I’ll do some more searching about adding Magic Band+ with kids - surely one of the Disney YouTubers has made a video about it…

I love her choices. You need record them and then ask her after the trip what her favorites were.

That’s a great idea!

I love the convenience too! We’re planning to use our bands from 2022, I just hope they work okay. It hasn’t been quite two years so I read that they should.

Honestly, they are already worth the cost based on how excited M is about that Sally band. I need to remind her to put it back so we don’t lose it before our trip!

I would think you’d be fine with your bands from your last trip! Are your bands regular Magic Bands instead of Magic Band +? I wish I could’ve ordered the regular Magic Bands so I wouldn’t have to worry about connecting them to smartphones or charging them. Still, seeing them light up should be fun?

How cool! I would have picked that too.

There were several great choices, but that one was calling my name.

So adorable!!

Thank you! She had a ton of fun dressing up as Sally.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Mickey mail is the best!

Great costume!

Thank you! She loved being Sally.

Nope!

Ah, thanks! I never imagined my five-year-old would be dressed as a Nightmare Before Christmas character (neither my husband or I had seen the movie until last year!), but she was so happy with her costume.

I know… but she’s five. It’s a Small World is pretty popular with that age group!

Cute Sally!
I was late in ordering our Magic bands so they’ll be at resort for us. We didn’t get any Mickey mail other than an email. Miss the days of the booklets with dates and info about resort-although I guess it’s all digital now. Was not even going to get new MB+ but our “newest” bands are from 2020! And they had an Orange Bird one-So I splurged.

Welcome - thanks for joining in!

Thank you! She loved her costume - not surprisingly, she was the only Nightmare Before Christmas character at preschool.

I saw the Orange Bird band as well - it was so cute! I think Magic Bands are “supposed” to last 2-3 years, so perhaps you were due to get new ones anyway!

That’s so bizarre that you didn’t get the resort Mickey mail! That’s exactly what we received (the picture above with Walt Disney World and Mickey on it) - it included information about the Polynesian, the parks, and the date we can book our ADRs. I’ll be curious if we get another in a few days about the Beach Club Villas…

Haven’t stayed at Poly; in 2015 we stayed Beach club (not dvc) -the resort was undergoing refurbishment so I think everyone wanted new rooms-we got a 3rd floor room overlooking the quiet pool, balcony and steps from “secret” door to Epcot (remember this was pre Skyliner). LOVED this location even hough it was “old” room at time. Anyway long winded way of saying we didn’t think that room was noisy at all. Even fireworks wasn’t bad as they were done by 930 usually.

Thank you for your feedback! I’ve never stayed at an Epcot-area resort (I’m so excited!) and was curious how noisy the Epcot fireworks might be. Even though it doesn’t apply to us, I have read about that secret door (perhaps on one of Dee’s reports?) - what great luck to be placed there!

Don’t sweat the ADRs! We leave tomorrow for Disney and there’s tons of ADRS on an ever changing basis for nearly everything, so hope you get all you want!

Thank you for that reminder! I’ve noticed (and know) that ADRs change and pop up all the time - I’d just love to have most of it set up before we go. I’ve never had trouble getting the ADRs I wanted and hope my trend continues!

 

[pkondz]

I know… but she’s five. It’s a Small World is pretty popular with that age group!

I know… I know…

 

[vamassey1]

I didn’t intend to order one for my younger daughter (as she doesn’t really need one without a ticket), but for some reason it wouldn’t let me submit the order without adding a band for all four party members. In

There is a way to decline a band for someone listed on the reservation. I was able to do this for Danielle for our trip.

Having the band in the future will be great for her. It will give her fashion choices.

I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle (especially since I don’t see my husband going to Disney without me, nor do I think he’ll need access to grab lightning lanes with me), but perhaps it would be a good idea anyway?

I set DH up so he could view photos instead of me having to show him and try to keep up with upcoming plans instead of always asking me. When I have taken trips without him it helps him to see my photos with Danielle.

 

[jrmint427]

I would think you’d be fine with your bands from your last trip! Are your bands regular Magic Bands instead of Magic Band +? I wish I could’ve ordered the regular Magic Bands so I wouldn’t have to worry about connecting them to smartphones or charging them. Still, seeing them light up should be fun?

Ours are regular. Not fun designs because they only had Esmeralda in the regular when we went back in 2022 but they work. The + looks fun! But I am not great about keeping things charged so I was worried about that. We’ll probably get the newer ones on the next trip whenever that is!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

So… thoughts? Am I crazy to book a town car? If so, which one is best? The Unofficial Guide to WDW and Mousesavers both recommend Happy Limo, but I’ve also read great things about the newer Cast and Crew Transportation. Tiffany Town Car is also mentioned a lot, but reviews seem mixed and I’m concerned that UG and MS no longer recommend them.

We used Tiffany Town Car, Kari recommended them and it was great. BUT we only used them once... they helped with our bags and were parked right by baggage claim. It was great! But it was $$$. But with little ones, a private car isn't a bad idea for car seats...

The other very funny comment from M that threw me for a loop was an unexpected ride request. She told me she wants to go with me on Expedition Everest (yes, she used the entire ride name) in order to see the Yeti. I mentioned that Everest is a pretty intense roller coaster and she said that was fine.

This is the same girl that is nervous about riding the Barnstormer and is still considering if she can brave Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Slinky Dog.

But Everest? No problem! (That Yeti is a strong pull!)

Wow!!! She really wants to see that Yeti!!!

I’m a park hopping fan.

We weren't when the girls were little. It wasn't worth it.

Day 2 - Friday, May 24th
Magic Kingdom (morning and evening) with afternoon break
B - Crystal Palace (MK)
L - Skipper’s Canteen (MK)
D - Be Our Guest (MK) or 1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian) if reopened?

Man You weren't kidding that you like table service meals!!!

It certainly does! I’m not 100% set on this plan, but am unsure of another good place to fit in Boma. I’d actually not planned to go to Boma (or the AKL) at all, but between a YouTube review by Addicted to the Mouse (I LOVE their food reviews!) and @StarWarsMomofGirls! ’s Boma review on her trip report… I’m trying to find a way to squeeze it in

If you have to choose between BOMA and Sanaa, BOMA is probably a better bet. More options for the kids. And you can try more stuff. You know I love my bread service.

We may try the Cape May Breakfast on our departure day (but I’m still crossing my fingers that the Bon Voyage Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno comes back!).

I know!!! That was a great character meal!!

1. I found a great spot for Beaches and Cream - hooray! It seems foolish to stay at the Beach Club and not eat here.

Gwen will approve!

For the Beach Club Villas, I'd love to face Crescent Lake but would be happy with an Epcot view (basically anything other than the BCV pool in case it gets noisy). I'd also love a bigger balcony as we'll be spending time out there due to a napping baby. What should I prioritize?

So, for the Poly, the rooms on the 2nd floor don't have balconies! It is a design that happens in Hawaii I believe... So, I would go 1st or 3rd floor. Balconies are great when the kids are napping.

And I "think" not all the rooms have balconies on the Beach Club side.. But I don't know that, we always stay at Yacht Club.


I am glad I finally made it over here! I am late, but here now!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I know… I know…

There is a way to decline a band for someone listed on the reservation. I was able to do this for Danielle for our trip.

Having the band in the future will be great for her. It will give her fashion choices.

There is?! Shoot, I wish I realized that when I was ordering them!

Honestly, it’s probably good that I ordered one for L. She wants everything her sister has so having her own should keep her away from M’s precious Sally band. (Also, that Mickey and friends band is super cute!)

I set DH up so he could view photos instead of me having to show him and try to keep up with upcoming plans instead of always asking me. When I have taken trips without him it helps him to see my photos with Danielle.

Ah, that makes sense! I’ll decide if it’s worth doing or not - I just don’t want to mess with any of our reservations!

Ours are regular. Not fun designs because they only had Esmeralda in the regular when we went back in 2022 but they work. The + looks fun! But I am not great about keeping things charged so I was worried about that. We’ll probably get the newer ones on the next trip whenever that is!

I remember reading in your trip report about the lack of choices… how bizarre they had so few (one?) designs! I wish the Magic Band 2.0 would’ve been an option for the pre-order, but I must admit the bands we purchased are awesome. Hopefully we have enough outlets to charge everything!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Welcome, Ariella! I’m so glad to see you here!

I am glad I finally made it over here! I am late, but here now!

Not late at all - we still have 76 days to go until our trip! Plenty of time for planning (and changing my mind!).

We used Tiffany Town Car, Kari recommended them and it was great. BUT we only used them once... they helped with our bags and were parked right by baggage claim. It was great! But it was $$$. But with little ones, a private car isn't a bad idea for car seats...

I’ve heard several recommendations for Tiffany, including from a local mom I talk to during M’s dance class. I’m still leaning toward Cast and Crew as I could get the rental stroller from them as well, but Tiffany is likely my backup choice if Cast and Crew is already booked.

And yes, I’ll be so glad when I don’t have to worry about car seats anymore… especially on the plane!

Wow!!! She really wants to see that Yeti!!!

She’s still LOVE to see the Yeti, but now she’s back to skipping Everest. Based on her reaction to a roller coaster this past summer I think skipping a major coaster like Everest is the right move. I hope I can get her to try 7DMT and Slinky Dog, though - and she’s currently excited for them so I think we have a chance!

We weren't when the girls were little. It wasn't worth it.

I don’t think we’ll do much (or any) mid-day hopping, but we’re planning a few days of one park in the morning and another in the evening after our afternoon break. Hopefully this works okay - we’ll see how it goes!

Man You weren't kidding that you like table service meals!!!

Indeed - it’s one of my favorite parts of Disney! That said, I’ve (appropriately) scaled back my dining plans for this trip and my current plan is no more than two ADRs per day. I think that should work well with the two girls.

If you have to choose between BOMA and Sanaa, BOMA is probably a better bet. More options for the kids. And you can try more stuff. You know I love my bread service.

I’d still LOVE to eat at Boma (and visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge)… but I think it may lose out to more time at Hollywood Studios. M is very interested in seeing Toy Story Land at night and I don’t think that will be possible on the night we see Fantasmic. But, plans may change… so we’ll see!

know!!! That was a great character meal!!

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this breakfast! I haven’t eaten at this restaurant since it was Kouzzina (which was DELICIOUS), but the characters they had at Trattoria would be PERFECT for M. I think it’s unlikely it will return before our trip (if ever! ) but I would love to try it if it returns!

Gwen will approve!

I’ve been to Beaches and Cream once and was honestly underwhelmed by the food, but the ice cream was delicious! Would it be bad to make a meal out of ice cream?

So, for the Poly, the rooms on the 2nd floor don't have balconies! It is a design that happens in Hawaii I believe... So, I would go 1st or 3rd floor. Balconies are great when the kids are napping.

And I "think" not all the rooms have balconies on the Beach Club side.. But I don't know that, we always stay at Yacht Club.

I appreciate your feedback on room requests!

The good news (based on several sources) is all three Poly DVC buildings have full balconies or patios on each floor - the hotel side, however, lacks 2nd floor balconies in some buildings. So at least we’ll have something no matter where we’re placed. At this point I’m leaning toward first floor at the Poly and being more specific about view at the Beach Club Villas - there’s no bad view at the Poly! (Well, except for perhaps parking lot behind Pago Pago… but that’s about it!)

I think nearly all rooms at the BCV studios have a patio or balcony (except maybe one?), but they vary wildly in size. I’m going to request a large balcony or patio and see how it shakes out.

 

[amazingact21]

I cannot add anything of value to the MagicBand/smartphone question. We're still using the old bands and my husband just uses his phone now.
But I did want to hop on and say I love the Sally costume!!! Oh my goodness, that's amazing.

 

[BarlowFamily]

Enjoying catching up on your planning when I have a few minutes...Disney Mail is so fun!

We stayed in the Beach Club Villas a few years ago and I do not remember the room number (I think it ended in "-57") facing towards Epcot (view of trees though). Anywho, it was surprising quiet around the whole building. Even the pool, was very chill. I'd take any room. We could sit on the balcony and listen to the Epcot music which was so nice, but with the door closed we couldn't hear it. DS slept through whatever the nightly show was at that time.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I cannot add anything of value to the MagicBand/smartphone question. We're still using the old bands and my husband just uses his phone now.

The bands look very cool, but frankly I wish I could use old bands! I am excited not needing to keep track of plastic cards for everyone, though (and M is VERY excited to use her Magic Band!).

Since Alex uses his phone does that mean he has his own MDE account? Do you think I should have my husband create one or is it best for me to keep everyone on my account as I’ll be handling all our plans?

But I did want to hop on and say I love the Sally costume!!! Oh my goodness, that's amazing.

Thank you! She LOVED that costume and it was nice and warm with a layer underneath the costume. I was most impressed she was willing to do the makeup - we attempted to tint her face blue (that got a hard no after about 10 seconds!) but she loved the “stitches” across her face and neck. I was surprised that so few people recognized her costume - perhaps fewer people watch that movie than I thought!

Enjoying catching up on your planning when I have a few minutes...Disney Mail is so fun!

Thank you for joining in! And yes, Disney mail is some of the BEST mail!

We stayed in the Beach Club Villas a few years ago and I do not remember the room number (I think it ended in "-57") facing towards Epcot (view of trees though). Anywho, it was surprising quiet around the whole building. Even the pool, was very chill. I'd take any room. We could sit on the balcony and listen to the Epcot music which was so nice, but with the door closed we couldn't hear it. DS slept through whatever the nightly show was at that time.

This is wonderful feedback - thank you so much for sharing! I’m glad to hear (but not entirely surprised?) that the villas are not very noisy. I feel like they’re set further back from the main path to Epcot behind the Yacht/Beach resorts. This makes me feel so much better about having a quiet room at the BCV.

As much as I’d love a view of Crescent Lake, listening to Epcot music would be lovely!

 

[pixiedust33]

I need to read the latest posts on this more thoroughly to see if I have any helpful intel from our latest trip, but circling back with just a quick report as requested that Cast and Crew was great! Driver was prompt and friendly, met us at baggage claim and helped with bags, and stopped a missed naptime meltdown at pickup by blasting Lion King for my son and then switching over to silence once he fell asleep in the car. At pickup, he was right on time and just as friendly. Car itself was huge, luxurious and comfy and communication was good. The car seat looked fairly new, was properly installed and worked well for us. The stroller did look a little beat up (kind of faded gray from the sun and some stains) but worked perfectly well, wasn't actively dirty, and we had no issues with it. In comparison, I did see some clearly branded Kingdom Strollers around the park and they looked pretty brand new and sparkly clean, so I think there are maybe better strollers out there, but we really couldn't beat the convenience of having the stroller just waiting for us and it was perfectly functional.

Also saw that you're debating room requests. We had requested a 3rd floor Tokelau room facing the quiet pool via Touring Plans, but instead got a 1st floor in the same general location. I almost went to the desk to ask if we could get a higher floor because of noise concerns, but we ended up just sticking with it because my son was sleeping at that point. In the end, I'm very happy we stuck with it! It was very nice with a stroller to be able to stroll right into the room. We did also have a partial fireworks view, which was amazing, and I think it was actually better for my son to see from the patio level without the bars that the Poly has on the 2nd and 3rd floors. He LOVED sitting on the patio in his pjs and watching the fireworks with us. We watched them every night, except one night we went to the beach. As far as noise level, my son and I are both light sleepers and we slept soundly! We were also back in the room every day for a couple hours in the 12-3pm range and didn't have any problems with noise. We didn't hear any street level noise, except a power washer one day, and no noise above us. However, the fireworks we definitely did hear, like a cannonball in the room basically. I can't imagine that would be any better on the 2nd or 3rd floors, or perhaps anywhere in the Poly. So, while we did not intend to watch the fireworks every night, we did end up doing so in our pjs and then my son went to bed right after, because I don't think he could have slept through them. The location was basically steps away from the quiet pool, a 2 minute walk to the TTC, and fairly convenient to the lobby and lava pool too. We loved it! Room 1907, if you're curious!

Also happy to share our experiences with meals if you're interested! My brief summary of what we did and my one second review of them: Kona for dinner (amazing! underrated!), Ohana for both breakfast and dinner on different days (big dud, poor execution and kind of a disaster service-wise), Chef Mickeys for breakfast (fantastic! my son's favorite and better food than I remembered - they had beignets! And some of just about everything you could want!), Crystal Palace for a late breakfast (10:45) (pretty mediocre food, weird and limited selection, poor service, and took an ETERNITY - I think this was partly a result of the time we went) and Sci Fi for lunch (big hit with my son, a nostalgic favorite for me but food, as expected, was pretty meh). Plus QS at Capt. Cooks (fine), Oasis Pool bar (excellent salad with shrimp and solid cocktails), Flame Tree BBQ (Husband loved it, I thought it was ok), Docking Bay 7 (good), and Columbia Harbour House (fantastic!).

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Wow, thank you so much for reporting back on your trip! (And so fast!)

I hope you had a WONDERFUL time and you turned your husband into a Disney fan so you can go again soon. I hope it was magical for your son and for you as well. Sitting on your patio watching nightly fireworks sounds amazing!

a quick report as requested that Cast and Crew was great! Driver was prompt and friendly, met us at baggage claim and helped with bags, and stopped a missed naptime meltdown at pickup by blasting Lion King for my son and then switching over to silence once he fell asleep in the car. At pickup, he was right on time and just as friendly.

This is so great to hear! I really appreciate you telling me about your experience (your driver sounded great!) and I’m glad your experience sounds the same as so many others that rave about their rides with them. Now I hope they’re available for our dates as they’re my #1 choice!

The stroller did look a little beat up (kind of faded gray from the sun and some stains) but worked perfectly well, wasn't actively dirty, and we had no issues with it.

I also appreciate your feedback on the car seats and stroller.

I’m so undecided on the stroller! Frankly, I’d prefer sun-faded (black is brutal!) and the “already in the car” part would be so much more convenient than needing to meet a representative for drop off and pickup. I think the pricing is almost identical, so that doesn’t help me. I think I’ll keep my current rental until I confirm my booking… and honestly, I think getting the stroller with them just makes so much more sense.

Also saw that you're debating room requests. We had requested a 3rd floor Tokelau room facing the quiet pool via Touring Plans, but instead got a 1st floor in the same general location.

This is SO helpful - thank you! Third-floor Tokelau was exactly what I was originally thinking, but perhaps the first floor would be nice. I’m glad you didn’t have any issues with naps with a pool-facing room (that was my biggest concern with the first floor) and that overall the room stayed pretty quiet. I’m hopeful that our daughters may have a chance at sleeping through the fireworks as they’re used to occasional sirens and traffic noise (we back up to a busy street and are across from a school parking lot), but we’ll see!

Also happy to share our experiences with meals if you're interested! My brief summary of what we did and my one second review of them: Kona for dinner (amazing! underrated!), Ohana for both breakfast and dinner on different days (big dud, poor execution and kind of a disaster service-wise),

Oh yes, I’m so glad you did!

I don’t know where I’d fit Kona but I’ve LOVED my breakfasts there. Perhaps if we arrive timely on our arrival day I could snag a last-minute lunch reservation? Several things on the menu look tasty. I hope you loved your Poke bowl! (And Happy Birthday!)

And oof on ‘Ohana. I think I’m locked into the breakfast as my daughter REALLY wants to meet Lilo and Stitch. But frankly, we’re planning on eating there on our “off” day so all we can handle slow service or so-so food. (Plus, it’s breakfast… how bad can it be?!)

But dinner… that’s a bummer. I’ve eaten at ‘Ohana four times and loved it each time, but you confirmed many recent reports that it’s not what it used to be. Perhaps if we can eat at Kona I can enjoy the potstickers and bread pudding there instead (my favorite unique parts of that meal). This would open up a dinner slot for us, and I’d love a chance to eat at Narcoosee’s (which is delicious!) or perhaps to go to Disney Springs. Was the service just slow and the food mediocre, or was it worse than that?

Crystal Palace for a late breakfast (10:45) (pretty mediocre food, weird and limited selection, poor service, and took an ETERNITY - I think this was partly a result of the time we went)

Hmmm, now I’m wondering what to do about Crystal Palace. I’ve always eaten there first thing with an 8:00am (or close to it) ADR. The food is fresh and you can meet the characters quickly (as there’s only a handful of people in the restaurant). I was usually in and out of there in 40 minutes (although I did go with adults, which is faster).

I’d considered doing what you did and aim for a 10:30 slot so we could take advantage of the early-morning entry and short lines… but perhaps we’d pay for it in a very slow lunch and meh food? I’ll have to think about which might be best. I really appreciate your take on this meal!

Sci Fi for lunch (big hit with my son, a nostalgic favorite for me but food, as expected, was pretty meh)

I still think we’re going to go for the 50’s (I love that place! And their pot roast!), but I love to hear that your son enjoyed it! I know he’s older than my youngest daughter, but did he sit in a highchair? Were you placed in a car or at one of the tables?

Thank you also for the counter-service reviews! I’d love to try a few things from the CS locations (the breakfast totchos from Woody’s Lunch Box, the Ronto Wrap from Ronto Roasters or Docking Bay 7, perhaps the waffle sandwich from Sleepy Hollow), but this is helpful in case we need to scrap our meal plans. I’ve also enjoyed our past meals from Columbia Harbor House!

Did you enjoy using the dining plan? I’d also love to hear if you found any must-have snacks!

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you on taking the time to report on your trip! This was so helpful to me (and hopefully others, too!).

 

[pixiedust33]

I hope you had a WONDERFUL time and you turned your husband into a Disney fan so you can go again soon. I hope it was magical for your son and for you as well

We absolutely did! My son LOVED meeting all that characters and just the whole vibe, and that sold my husband too. I’m currently contemplating a December bounce back offer and instead of looking at me like I’m crazy, my husband suggested we go over his birthday this time “if you need an excuse”. My son wants to go back tomorrow . Wishing you guys the same good luck!!

honestly, I think getting the stroller with them just makes so much more sense.

Agreed! It was just one less thing to think about.

Was the service just slow and the food mediocre, or was it worse than that?

So, I’ve never eaten at Ohana and, although I had seen recent mixed reviews, I was still going in optimistic. It was a failure on like every level. It took a long time to get seated (ten minutes, which isn’t bad but is the longest we waited anywhere). Our server took forever to even acknowledge us. They didn’t provide any crayons or activities for kids like other restaurants did. Our drinks didn’t come until halfway through the meal. It was impossible to get our servers attention to get a refill of anything. On the food, I can absolutely see that it could have been great if well executed. The flavors were definitely there. But, for example, our salad came out literally half frozen. I couldn’t flag anyone down to ask for another one. The butter was rock solid. The appetizers were ok but came slightly cold? The main course chicken was extremely tough, even though the chimichurri had good flavor. The noodles were overcooked and mushy. The beef was the one highlight. It took FOREVER to get the check. I told her we had the dining plan and when she finally dropped it, it didn’t reflect the dining plan. I waited for at least ten minutes trying to flag her down before I started walking out of the restaurant to the host stand to talk to a manager or something and that’s when she finally came running over. So just poorly executed on every level. The restaurant itself was also loud, dim and overwhelming to our toddler.

ETA: also just wanted to note that I don’t think our server was that terrible. As a former server myself back in the day, she had too many tables (I counted 10) and several sat at the same time so I think she just gave up because she knew she couldn’t do a good job. Looking around, other people were having the same issue. That’s why I don’t think it’s really a one off but like an institutional problem over there. I’ve generally found at Disney that the places that are popular for a while have a noticeable drop off in quality. Like they know they can fill seats, so why bother being excellent? But places that need to be great to have tables filled (like Kona and even Chef Mickey’s, which has gotten a bad rap recently) really step up their game.

I’d considered doing what you did and aim for a 10:30 slot so we could take advantage of the early-morning entry and short lines… but perhaps we’d pay for it in a very slow lunch and meh food?

I think this may be right! When we arrived, only half the buffet was open because they were switching to lunch. It was at least 15 minutes where half was shut and that made the line very long at the breakfast side. But the pastries and waffles seemed in particularly rough shape - like hard and crunchy from sitting under a heat lamp. And the lunch food was BAD and weird. Didn’t go together at all. Flavorless and generally an odd assortment of things that didn’t go together. I also liked the idea of getting to try both and having some time in the park first, but it was a mess. We were there for 1 hour and 15 minutes before giving up because we felt like we were wasting time (and Pooh hadn’t gotten to us in that time frame). The service overall was very slow and inattentive. We sat with dirty plates and no drinks, just waiting for Pooh for nearly half an hour. I wish we gave up sooner! I had also previously had a good experience here for breakfast but I don’t think I will go back after this. If you’re set on it for the characters, which I get, I would maybe recommend like 9:30? So you can do an hour of early entry but you get there before the switchover and before it gets too crowded?

I know he’s older than my youngest daughter, but did he sit in a highchair? Were you placed in a car or at one of the tables?

He did not! He’s a tall 2.5 (just about 40 inches) so he generally either sat in a booster or just a regular seat. At sci fi, we were sat at a car (which is why my son loved it!), but we all squeezed into one row.

Did you enjoy using the dining plan? I’d also love to hear if you found any must-have snacks!m

I did! The lack of clarity online about what counts as a snack at places that don’t have mobile ordering was a little annoying but we found ways to use it that maximized the plan! I used 4 snack credits at flower and garden (the lobster tail at Florida fresh, the beef and scallops at northern bloom, and chicken and waffles at honey beestro. One of our favorite snacks (my son and I) was the seasoned corn at Harambe Market in AK, but I didnt use the dining plan for that. We also liked the Wookie cookie and blue milk at HS (both snack credits). We also got some Mickey pretzels, ice cream, and were also able to use a snack credit for my son to get a souvenir glowing ice cube lemonade at flame tree bbq. My husband really loved the all inclusive feel and I found the strategizing behind the scenes kind of fun so it worked well for us. It was also just a natural fit for how we planned to eat with one TS, one QS and a snack. I do think we were helped by my son not having a plan and eating off our plates so it never felt like too much food. We did buy some extra things here and there too.